


Tap Tap

by idrilhadhafang



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Pre-Canon, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Ben Solo Needs A Hug, Creepy Snoke (Star Wars), Evil Snoke, Force Visions, Implied Mind Rape, In a way, Jedi Ben Solo, M/M, Nightmares, Not Actually Unrequited Love, Pining Poe Dameron, Protective Poe Dameron, Self-Hatred, Shame, Sharing a Bed, Snoke Being a Dick, The Dark Side of the Force, Young Ben Solo, Young Poe Dameron
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-08
Updated: 2019-06-08
Packaged: 2020-04-12 14:13:13
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 707
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19133683
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/idrilhadhafang/pseuds/idrilhadhafang
Summary: Ben has a mental stalker in the form of Snoke, and Poe tries to help.





	Tap Tap

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: Stalkers
> 
> Disclaimer: I own nothing.

_Tap tap. Tap tap._  
  
Poe slowly emerged from sleep just to see Ben at the window by his bed. Even as he stumbled out of bed, he mumbled, “Stang it, Ben, everyone’s asleep. What’s going on?”  
  
“Can you let me in first?”  
  
Poe nodded. Judging by how Ben sounded, he sounded like he’d had a rough night so far. His heart ached; how did Ben even cope with having these constant nightmares? He doubted he understood.  
  
“Just use the door next time,” he said. “Stang, but you’re dramatic.”  
  
Ben chuckled weakly. “I guess I didn’t think about it.”  
  
They sat together on the bed, and Poe couldn’t help but notice that Ben’s eyes were red-rimmed and he looked pale as a sheet. He looked _damned._ Poe couldn’t help but worry for him.  
  
Ben spoke. “It’s the nightmares. They’re back. I got more information from them, and that’s the best comfort I can get.”  
  
Poe nodded, grimly. “What kind?”  
  
“Well, I got a vision. I’m fighting against a man, a man in a mask. Not like Vader’s. You know those Jakku birds that pick at scrap metal? It kinda looked like that.”  
  
Another nod from Poe.  
  
“I think...whoever was in my dream was trying to show me something. They...” Ben laughed weakly. “They tried making it look glorious, but I saw it, Poe, I saw the Temple on fire and I tried to scream myself awake and couldn’t...”  
  
“That’s one hell of a bad dream.”  
  
“I saw me,” Ben said. “I did this. I was the monster. Uncle Luke was right about me and so was Mom...”  
  
“Ben. Ben!” Poe looked at him, sternly but also gently. “You just had a bad dream. You’re not a monster. If having a bad dream made you a monster, I’d be doomed.”  
  
“It wasn’t a dream,” Ben said. “It...felt like a vision. That was the w-worst part...”  
  
His voice cracked, and Poe just ached to hold him. It wasn’t fair, that Ben had to feel like he was something bad when everything suggested the reverse. A bad person wouldn’t have so much anguish over the idea of burning down Temples, would they?  
  
“I am a monster.” Ben didn’t cry, but the tears were in his voice. “I’m disgusting...”  
  
“Stop that,” Poe said. “You’d actually have to do something to be a monster. Having bad thoughts and dreams doesn’t make you a bad person. I mean, people have a lot of nightmares, and the galaxy isn’t split into good people and Dark Siders.”  
  
A weak smile tugged at Ben’s lips. “You sound like Dad.”  
  
“I guess it’s the benefit of not being dragged into this Light Side-Dark Side drama. But yeah, for an Order that says only Sith deal in absolutes, they really have difficulty seeing the stuff in between.”  
  
Ben tried to argue, “But the Dark Side’s evil...”  
  
“And you’re not, and never will be.” Poe stood up and sighed, rolling his shoulders back.  
  
“Where are you going?” Ben said.  
  
“Getting you a caffa. It’s what I do when I can’t sleep.”  
  
***  
  
Ben was looser, more relaxed after he had the caffa. He told Poe more, about how his mental stalker’s name was “Snoke” (it was the sole bit of information about the man he had. Poe at least knew who to beat the stuffing out of for touching Ben), how Snoke had been a confidant as a child before turning cruel, things of that nature. He finished and Poe stroked his hair. “It’s not your fault, Ben. It really does sound like he tricked you as a kid.”  
  
“I thought you’d call me evil.”  
  
“You’re too much of a marshmallow to be evil,” Poe said, and this time, Ben did laugh.  
  
“Why are you doing this for me?” Ben said, more seriously.  
  
“You’re my friend.” But it was more than that. He loved Ben. Even before he knew what he was experiencing, going from taking pity on a homesick boy to recognizing that the homesick boy was very much a man. “And...as long as you’re with me, I won’t let anyone hurt you.”  
  
“I know.”  
  
Ben’s eyes closed. After a while, Poe joined him, lying beside him, knowing he loved him more than Ben could ever know.


End file.
